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THE LIVING TEMPLE

13/04/2018 01:23:00 The Editor

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Sir,

“Don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which you have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s,” 1 Corinthians 6:19 20.

With every model of motor vehicle a maintenance manual is issued by the manufacturer. Therefore, the wise purchaser takes care to follow the manufacturer’s instruction. When we analyze the wonders of the eyes, ears, brain, heart or any part of our body, we are filled with awe and reverence at the infinite wisdom of the Creator. With David we exclaim: “I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well (Psa 139:14).

Has the all-wise God left man without a manual to maintain this marvellous ‘machine’ - our body - in the best of health? No, we have a manual and that’s the Bible. God says; “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth,” 3 John 2. God loves us and He wants us to prosper and to be in good health. So when He gives us the manual He wants us to enjoy life to the fullest.

We are responsible to our Creator for the way we treat our bodies, and one day He will call each one of us to account: “For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad,” 2 Corinthians 5:10.

Our bodies are designed to be temples for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (1Cor 3:16-17). Let us therefore carefully study the ‘maintenance manual’, the Bible, and obey every instruction, that our bodies may be temples of God and filled with His spirit.

When supplying them food in Eden, the Lord gave Adam and Eve the best diet. Fruits, grains and nuts were the diet appointed at the beginning. After sin entered the world, man was to till the ground. At that time vegetables were added as a supplement to their diet. “...and thou shalt eat the herb of the field,” Genesis 3:18.

The experience of Daniel illustrates the benefits of non-flesh diet. Notice that God blessed him and his friends for obeying the principles of correct diet.
The Bible clearly makes a distinction between ‘clean’ and ‘unclean’ animals. Only the ‘clean’ were fit for food. See Leviticus 11.

Basically a clean animal is one that has divided hoofs and chews the cud. Alcoholic beverages are condemned in the Bible. “Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!” Isaiah 5:11. A curse is pronounced on those who provide intoxicating drink for others: “Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!” Habakkuk 2:15.

Medical research has since proved tobacco to be a slow, poison. It excites and then paralyses the nerves. It weakens the brain. Its use excites a thirst for alcoholic drinks. Dear beloved; “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service,” Romans 12:1.

Bopoto Gwinyai (7663 8191)